


TRAIL

by chaekmate (usernamewhatamidoing)



Series: Inktober [17]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-06 19:02:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14063448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/usernamewhatamidoing/pseuds/chaekmate
Summary: Mina and Chaeyoung talk over the phone.Or: Another one-shot based (loosely) in the Fake It ’Til You Make It AU [the prologue?]





	TRAIL

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Just a quick disclaimer, I don’t really know military protocol at all- so apologies for inaccuracies!

i. 

The first time she receives a call, she’s walking out of the apartment, on her way to meet with Sana about lesson plans. 

(In all honestly it’s a miracle she even picks up because she doesn’t think anyone has called her in over a month and she’d forgotten what her ring tone even sounded like.)

But after digging through her backpack she does eventually answer it, noting the unknown caller ID that flashes across the display.

“Hello?” She tugs the bag onto her shoulders once more before starting down the stairs. 

_“Chaeyoung?”_ An unsure voice comes muffled through the line.

“M-Mina?” Chaeyoung stills and grips the phone a little tighter because Mina has been gone for over eight months and hearing her voice now is jarring. “Is that you?”

(When Mina had told her she was going to serve back in Japan, she wasn’t sure what to say because it didn’t seem like something she would do- but Mina had always been a little elusive, a little unpredictable.)

 _“Hey.”_ Her friend’s tone sounds relieved. _“I wasn’t sure if you’d pick up, or if this would be a good time. Is this a good time?”_

“Oh, yeah. It’s fine. I was just, on my way to meet Sana, some stuff for work you know.”

_“Oh really? That’s fine, if you have to go I understand-“_

“No!” Chaeyoung’s reply comes quickly. “I- Sana’s always late so, it’s fine. What’s up?” 

_“I guess I was just calling to see how you were? We’re on a…rest right now, so we could call someone from home.”_

“That’s, that’s great.” Chaeyoung smiles. “I’m glad you called, um, have you been in touch with your parents?” 

_“We could only call one person.”_

Oh. 

_“I was able to talk with them a couple weeks ago though, they’re the same old really.”_ Mina chuckles slightly. 

“That’s good,” Chaeyoung falters, “Uh, what’s been going on with you? Where are you?” 

_“I’m actually- we’re not allowed to disclose our location right now. I’m sorry."_

“Oh, no that’s fine, I understand. Well, how’s the weather where you are?” Chaeyoung tries again. 

_“I don’t think I can tell you that either…”_

“Oh.” She clears her throat. “Yeah. Makes sense.” 

_“Ah, you know I’ve always been terrible at small talk.”_ Mina laughs, heartily this time. _“I’m really sorry. I know I can’t tell you a lot about what I’m doing, but how are you?”_

“I’ve been fine,” She starts off slowly, “Just getting ready to make lessons plans for this Fall.” 

_“With Sana?”_

“Yeah.” 

And from the outside, Chaeyoung feels like she’s making small talk, horrible, painful, and awkward small talk. But if Mina feels burdened she doesn’t voice it. (She doubts her friend would say anything either way.)

She tells Mina about the apartment and how the landlord had been particularly testy that month, about how the weather was starting turn from sweltering heat to tepid mornings and cool nights; about her latest cinematic endeavors. 

(“Do you guys get to watch movies and stuff on your off time?)

She doesn’t know how much time has passed, but when she hears a shift on the other end, Mina’s voice filters in. _“I think my time’s up, have to let the others use the phone.”_

“Of course.” Chaeyoung rubs at the nape of her neck. “Well, it was nice hearing from you. Are you, you know, okay?” 

_“Yeah. I’m fine.”_ There’s another that emits a loud scuffing sound, and despite wanting to pull back she presses the speaker closer to her ear. _“I’m not sure the next time I’ll be able to call like this, but, would that be okay? If I called again?”_

The uncertainty in Mina’s voice makes her frown slightly. “Yeah, totally. Like I said, I really enjoyed getting to talk to you.” 

_“Alright, I’ll be in touch.”_

(If she closes her eyes she thinks she can see Mina’s wide smile.)

_“Bye Chaeyoung.”_

“Bye.” 

There’s a pause, and then the telling sound of a dial tone signaling her that the other had hung up. 

(When she glances at the time she sees that she’s a half hour late for her meeting with Sana.)

(She still beats her to the restaurant.)

ii. 

Because she didn’t know when Mina would be contacting her next, she became extra diligent- turning her phone off its perpetual mode of vibrate to ring and leaving her phone in open sight whenever she was at home. 

And a month passes, with nothing from Mina, and then a month turns into two, and before Chaeyoung knows it she’s back getting ready to teach her afternoon classes. 

(Her phone, still on ring and face up on her desk sits a mere five feet out of reach, because if Mina said she was going to call, then Chaeyoung had faith that she would.

Still, the second call comes at the most inopportune of times, and it would really be just her luck wouldn’t it?)

It’s nearing 9 o’clock and she a class full of high schoolers crowded around her, watching her explain the method of how to slip and score their clay when her phone starts blaring in the corner. 

She freezes along with the students and turns her head to her desk. It could be no-one, she rationalizes- thinks, that’s is more than likely just another telemarketer looking to tell her she won some type of cruise from a credit card she didn’t own. 

Or, it could be Mina. 

(The what if that lingers in the back of her mind drives her to wipe her hands with a damp towel and quickly excuse herself. And after pushing her way past her students, her fingers twitch, hovering over the screen of 'unknown caller’ before swiping to answer.)

“H-hello?” She says lowly, glancing back to where the kids are still huddles, whispering among themselves. 

_“Hey, It’s me. Mina.”_

As she closes her eyes, and lets out a sigh, Chaeyoung shift the phone to rest between her head and shoulder. “Hey, are you resting?” 

_“Yeah, for a little bit. What about you? What are you doing?”_

“Uh, well actually, school started last week…”

_“Oh! That’s right, it would have started by now.”_

“I’m just- my class is waiting for me-“ She bites her lip, because theres nothing more she would like to do than forget about making coil pots and just talk with Mina, but she knows that she could probably get fired for what she’s doing now and it’s just a really awful situation. 

_“Sorry, I completely forgot you would be teaching around this time, you should go, apologize to your class for me.”_

“I mean, they’re probably happy to have a distraction, but yeah, I should go.” She sighs, unable to hide her disappointment. 

_“I’ll try to call again, okay?”_

“Yeah.” She forces out a laugh. “I’ll be waiting.” 

(The line goes dead and she frowns the the clay that appears to have smeared across her screen.)

“Was that your boyfriend Ms. Son?” One student jokes once she takes a seat again.

She could tell this was going to be a long fifty minutes.

(And that’s how their second conversation goes, lasting a full thirty six seconds long to say hi and then bye. 

Thankfully no word had gotten back to her superior, but still, there remained the fact that Mina had called and now she had to wait for god only knows how long until she called again.)

(If she called again.)

iii.

Mina does call again- four times, in fact. 

Precariously spaced, each call consisted of a formula in which it would mostly be Chaeyoung filling the other in on the events of the past weeks or month, before Mina would chip in about how horrid the food was and then exactly twenty five minutes later they would say goodbye.

(Talking enough for the both of them had never bothered her, in fact she’d wager to say that Mina preferred it that way.)

Sometimes she had enough time to make up stories about what she thought Mina was doing, of where she was, and in some ways became a game of sorts between them. Something for them to talk about when she’d run out of interesting things so say. 

And it did make her wonder what kind of situations Mina found herself in on a day to day basis. Obviously it was something important, or important enough to be shrouded in an air of mystery. 

(She doesn’t tell Mina, but sometimes those thoughts keep her awake at night.)

//

The sixth time comes when she’s on the verge of falling asleep.

Once the soft ding reaches her ears she’s rolling over to squint at the small screen.

_From Mina: Can I skype you?_

She’s not sure if the fact that it’s Mina’s personal number worries her or not.

_To Mina: Yeah, sure._

She waits for the call to come, switching the side table lamp on and leaning a pillow against the headboard before the familiar picture of her and Mina from college appears.

Hitting accept, the screen changes and once Mina adjusts the angle she’s greeted with a smile. 

“I’m coming home!”Mina smiles and waves at the camera.

“Wait you are? You’re done?” Chaeyoung immediately sits up in shock.

_“Yeah, I just got back to Japan. After I’m debriefed, I’ll be on a flight back to Korea.”_

“That’s amazing! Do you know when?”

_“I’m aiming for late tomorrow, maybe eight o’clock-ish? I’ll keep you posted.”_

“You look tired.” She notes, glancing at the dark circles underneath the latter’s eyes before asking the question she’s come to ask every time they talk. “Are you okay?”

_“Yeah. Excited to get back.”_

And she thinks it’s different, talking with Mina and _seeing_ her at the same time. 

Maybe it’s because now, she knows Mina is okay. 

Maybe it’s because she doesn’t have to image about the possible dangers the other was putting herself in. 

(Maybe it’s because Mina was finally coming home.)


End file.
